Cable TV Ratings: Fox News Channel Tops During A Slow Week

Fox News Channel can officially mark back-to-back weeks as the most watched basic cable network in both primetime and total day viewing. FNC can also mark its 125th consecutive week as the most-watched cable news network in total day, according to TV Newser.

However, as one might expect during a holiday week (Independence Day fell on a Tuesday this year) and when the regularly-scheduled hosts are given multiple days off, Fox News posted week-to-week ratings losses. The network averaged 1.215 million primetime viewers for the week of July 3, per data from Nielsen, which is -14% from the week prior (June 26, 2023). FNC also averaged 103,000 A25-54 viewers in primetime, a drop of -25% from the week prior. The network also fell to No. 24 in the primetime demo this past week, one spot behind a certain cable news rival.

In terms of total day viewing, Fox News averaged 975,000 total viewers, No. 1 for the 27th consecutive week, but -9% from the week prior. Rarely does Fox average fewer than a million viewers in total day, but it happened this past week. Additionally, Fox finished No. 6 among Adults 25-54 in total day (109,000), which is -11% from the week prior, but more than what the network averaged in primetime and more than what its cable news competitors averaged in the daypart.

CNN averaged 110,000 A25-54 in primetime this past week. That’s -12% from the prior week, but actually one spot and +7,000 more than Fox News (No. 23 vs. No. 24). CNN averaged 543,000 total primetime viewers, -5% from the week before, No. 11 overall and a substantially smaller total audience than Fox News and MSNBC (as per usual). In total day, CNN averaged 424,000 total day viewers (No. 5 on basic cable) and 82,000 A25-54 (No. 15 on basic cable). That’s -7%, and -9%, respectively, from the previous week.

With fewer Americans than usual watching cable news this past week, MSNBC dropped from No. 2 to No. 3 in total primetime viewers. 

Graphics Courtesy of RoadMN

The Five is the No. 1 show on cable news for the 11th consecutive week, averaging more than 2.36 million total viewers at 5 p.m. for the week of July 3.

Fox News had eight of the 10 most-watched cable news shows of the week, including the top eight. MSNBC placed nine and ten.